Roddick rows after narrow escape

SECOND seed Andy Roddick became embroiled in a bitter row after surviving a scare against unheralded Italian Daniele Bracciali to book his place in the third round at Wimbledon after a rain interrupted day yesterday.

The match was held over from the previous evening and resumed with Roddick leading two sets to one.

Bracciali took the fourth set as well to force a decider but Roddick regained his composure to seal a 7-5 6-3 6-7 4-6 6-3 victory.

However, it was the suspension of play on Thursday evening which caused the dispute, Bracciali thinking Roddick had sworn at him as he walked off court.

"I said a bad word, I don't know if it was to Bracciali," said Roddick.

"I was walking off and he was throwing a fit. Maybe ask him what he said first. I'm not one to just go at people. That's not my style.

"If he's upset about it he can come talk to me about it."

Bracciali said: "I was a bit angry because when they stopped the match it was 8:50pm and I was asking why because it was earlier the other days.

"And Andy said something with the "F" word. I don't know if it was for me or the umpire maybe."

Fifth seed Marat Safin was the biggest casualty of day, the Russian losing in straight sets to Spain's Feliciano Lopez.

Lopez will play 10th seed Mario Ancic in the fourth round, the Croatian also a straight sets winner over Gael Monfils.

2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the last 16 with a 7-6 6-4 7-5 victory over American Justin Gimelstob on Centre Court.

Hewitt will now face another big-serving American, Taylor Dent, on Monday after the 24th seed defeated Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3 7-6 6-3.

Meanwhile, in the women's event Russian number nine seed Anastasia Myskina made heavy weather of securing her place in the last 16, coming through an epic, near three-hour battle with Jelena Jankovic.

The 2004 French Open champion had sailed through the first set 6-0, but then lost concentration as the 17th-seeded Serbia and Montenegro player rallied and saved three match points to take the second set 7-5.

It then looked ominous for Myskina, who then fell 5-1 behind in the deciding set. But the Russian managed to claw her way back to level at 5-5 and broke again in the 17th game before serving out to eventually win 10-8.

Number three seed Amelie Mauresmo, breezed into the last 16 with a straight-sets demolition of American Shenay Perry 6-0 6-2.

Standing between Mauresmo and a place in the quarter-finals will be Elena Likhovtseva, the 13th seed, who beat Silvia Farina Elia of Italy 5-7 6-4 6-4.

Fellow Russian Elena Dementieva is also into the last 16, after the sixth seed defeated American Mashona Washington 7-5 6-1.